Cinemafile

Mike Kaspar
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  • Film Interviews

Cinemafile showcases the very best in independent, documentary and foreign films through our conversations with the more than 2,000 filmmakers who made them. Through Cinemafile we will do our best to bring the most interesting and accomplished filmmakers from around the world to your attention.

  1. 6d ago

    The Sun Never Sets - Director Joe Swanberg

    Wendy (Dakota Fanning) believes she's perfectly happy in her relationship, until her older boyfriend, Jack (Jake Johnson), who is divorced with children, insists they take a break to make sure she's truly okay giving up on the idea of marriage and babies. During this time, Wendy unexpectedly runs into her ex, Chuck (Cory Michael Smith), who reignites her carefree and spontaneous side, and suddenly seems to want a family. The three of them navigate a chaotic, confusing, and often funny relationship triangle, reminding us that the pursuit of love is beautiful and messy all at once. The film was shot on 35mm on location in Alaska. One of the greatest truly independent filmmakers Director, Writer, and Editor Joe Swanberg joins us to talk about his latest film, The Sun Never Sets. About the filmmaker - Joe Swanberg is the director of over 20 features, including HANNAH TAKES THE STAIRS, DRINKING BUDDIES and HAPPY CHRISTMAS. He co-starred in and co-directed NIGHTS AND WEEKENDS with Greta Gerwig and AUTOEROTIC with Adam Wingard, in addition to acting in and directing one of the segments of the original V/H/S film. He has directed episodes of television for HBO, 20th Century Studios and Netflix, where he created the series EASY and wrote, directed, produced and edited all 25 episodes over three seasons. As an actor he has appeared in lead roles for Josephine Decker, Ti West, Mickey Keating and Adam Wingard, and he has produced features for Lynn Shelton, Alex Ross Perry, Dustin Defa and Zach Clark, amongst many others. He lives in Chicago.

    The Sun Never Sets - Director Joe Swanberg

  2. 6d ago

    Hanging by a Wire - Director Mohammed Ali Naqvi

    Hanging by a Wire recounts the true story of a routine school commute that turned terrifying when a makeshift cable car's wire snapped, leaving eight passengers — including six schoolboys — suspended hundreds of feet above a ravine in the remote foothills of the Pakistani Himalayas. With the clock ticking before the remaining cable was expected to fail, an unlikely band of local rescuers raced against time to bring them home safely. Drawing on firsthand testimony and remarkable on-the-ground footage, the film is a tense, true-life portrait of courage, community, and the class divides that complicated the rescue effort. Hanging by a Wire premiered on opening day of the 2026 Sundance Film Festival in the World Cinema Documentary Competition, where it played to sold-out crowds. Abramorama will release the film in North American theaters in August 2026, with the film arriving for its streaming debut in late 2026. About the filmmaker - Mohammed Ali (Mo) Naqvi is an award-winning director, producer, and writer, and a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and the Television Academy. His latest film, Hanging by a Wire, premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in the World Cinema Documentary Competition. Mo produced two seasons of the Netflix Original Top 10 docu-series Turning Point and received the inaugural Emmy's Television Academy Honor for the Showtime Original Shame. His acclaimed directorial work includes the Emmy-nominated Among the Believers (PBS/Netflix), Insha'Allah Democracy (Lionsgate/STARZ/BBC), the Emmy-nominated and Asian Media Award–winning The Accused: Damned or Devoted? (BBC/PBS/ARTE), and Pakistan's Hidden Shame (Channel 4 UK), which won the Grand Jury Prize at the United Nations Association Film Festival. As a producer, his fiction credits include Big River (Berlin Film Festival), produced by legendary Japanese filmmaker Takeshi Kitano's Office Kitano, and I Will Avenge You Iago, starring Giancarlo Esposito. Naqvi has received two Amnesty International Awards and earned nominations for an Independent Spirit Award, a Cinema Eye Honor, and the UNESCO–Fellini Prize. Beyond filmmaking, Mo is a founding member of the Crescent Collective at the Cannes Film Market and has served as Chairman of Pakistan's Academy Awards Selection Committee (2023–2025) and as the former Artistic Director of the Tasveer Film Market, part of Tasveer, North America’s only Oscar-qualifying South Asian film festival. Originally from Karachi, his work and collaborations span the US, Europe, and Japan.

    Hanging by a Wire - Director Mohammed Ali Naqvi

  3. Aug 23

    Finding Emily - Director Alicia MacDonald

    From the producers of Bridget Jones’s Diary and Love Actually comes the heartfelt new romantic comedy FINDING EMILY. Sensitive musician Owen (Spike Fearn) meets the woman of his dreams during a late shift at the Manchester City University Student Union. They flirt, they drink, they dance, then suddenly, she’s whisked off into the night by her friends, heading out to the next party. Thinking quickly, Owen asks for her name and number, but when he texts her the next morning, he discovers one digit is missing. Determined to reconnect, Owen sets out to find her using the only information he has - her first name. A cynical, headstrong American psychology student Emily Raine (Angourie Rice), who sees in Owen the makings for a perfect case study for her thesis on the futility of romantic attachment. Together, they inadvertently spark a hilarious campus-wide frenzy that turns the lovesick Owen’s world upside down, forcing Emily to question her own choices as each half of the unlikely duo ponders what the future might hold. About the filmmaker - Known for her distinctive brand of comedy, character-focused narratives and stellar cinematic visuals, director Alicia MacDonald has joined The Corner Shop roster for commercial representation in the UK and US. From the very beginning Alicia excited audiences with her well-observed short films (‘Otherwise Engaged and Domestic Policy’) and popular sketches (‘Bad News and Taxing’) that demonstrated her impressive ability to balance comedic satire with grounded emotional depth. She went on to work with comedy giants Stephen Merchant (‘The Outlaws’ for BBC) and Lena Dunham (‘Too Much’ on Netflix) in which she provided the same level of confidence and care in capturing nuanced and honest performances for high-end tv. Her hotly anticipated debut feature film ‘Finding Emily’ (made with Working Title Films and Focus Features) is released in UK cinemas on 22nd May and in the US on 29th August.

    Finding Emily - Director Alicia MacDonald

  4. Aug 23

    Learning to Fly - Director Max Lowe

    LEARNING TO FLY follows former competitive runner turned photographer Aisha McAdams as she embarks on a journey to document the triumphs and struggles of some of the biggest names in ultra running, such as Jim Walmsley, Eszter Csillag and Vincent Bouillard, as they compete at the Western States Endurance Run in the Mountains of Eastern California and the Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc (UTMB) in the French Alps. While photographing and interviewing these elite runners, Aisha confronts her own painful and complex past, and the reasons why she had to step away from racing, a pursuit that had once brought her a much-needed sense of freedom, joy and belonging. LEARNING TO FLY had its world premiere at last year's Telluride Film Festival and will be released in theaters in the US beginning August 21 including the Angelika Film Center in New York and the Laemmle Monica Film Center in Los Angeles. About the filmmaker - Director / Producer Max Lowe is known for his ability to capture deeply human stories on some of the most exposed edges of the world, Max Lowe has honed his skill as a director and photographer in his search of narratives unheard. From his home in the mountains of Montana to now countless countries and landscapes across the globe, Max has been witness to stories spanning the gap of the human experience. Max directed his first feature doc “Torn” which premiered at Telluride Film Festival in 2021 and is now available on Disney+ and Hulu with National Geographic Docs, and followed that with the short documentary "Camp Courage" which is available on Netflix and was shortlisted for the 95th Academy Awards for best short doc. Max has since partnered with Academy Award winning producer Evan Hayes on his follow up feature doc “Learning to Fly.” With a background in observational journalistic style storytelling honed over years of telling human driven narratives around the globe. Max has emerged with a distinct style by which he crafts his narratives unheard.

    Learning to Fly - Director Max Lowe

  5. Aug 22

    MOOCH - Director Jeff Ryan

    Set against the backdrop of suburban New Jersey golf courses, MOOCH is about Shane, played by Jeff Ryan, at nearly thirty and still the oldest caddy at his local golf club, he has mastered the art of getting by without ever quite growing up. When a botched theft of four hundred dollars unexpectedly lands him a job digging up dirt for a charismatic New Jersey nightclub owner, he finds himself navigating amateur investigations, broken relationships, and increasingly questionable decisions. Equal parts heartfelt and absurd, MOOCH is an offbeat golf crime comedy about friendship, ambition, and the long road toward adulthood. MOOCH showcases a wide variety of wild characters with terrific acting. Director, writer and lead actor joins us for a spirited conversation on the challenges and the rewards of a debut feature film and working with a slew of talented collaborators.

    MOOCH - Director Jeff Ryan

  6. Aug 22

    *2026 Sundance Award Winner - American Doctor - Director Poh Si Teng

    From Oscar®-nominated and Emmy® Award-winning filmmaker Poh Si Teng, AMERICAN DOCTOR follows three American physicians— Palestinian, Jewish, and Zoroastrian—united by a single oath to save lives. American Doctor is a vérité documentary following three prominent physicians-Palestinian, Jewish, and Zoroastrian-friends who couldn't be more different but are bound by the shared oath to save lives. Dr. Thaer Ahmad is measured and strategic, Dr. Mark Perlmutter is blunt and wears his heart on his sleeve, and Dr. Feroze Sidhwa is media-savvy and prolific. Filmed in unfolding, on-the-ground scenes, the story follows them from a Gazan hospital under siege, to the halls of Congress. Together they fight to keep a promise to their Palestinian colleagues and patients, to continue the struggle where it matters most: the United States. Upon returning home, they make a determined effort to fight for the patients and colleagues they left behind, taking their battle from the front lines of war to the halls of Congress. About the filmmaker - Poh Si Teng is the producer of the Oscar®-nominated ST. LOUIS SUPERMAN and Emmy® Award–winning executive producer of PATRICE: THE MOVIE. She is a former creative executive for ABC/Disney, documentary commissioner for Al Jazeera, IDA grants director, and New York Times journalist. She is the founder of Tiny Boxer Films, which produces non- fiction feature docs, and docu- and unscripted-series for the US and global majority markets. AMERICAN DOCTOR marks her debut as a feature documentary director.

    *2026 Sundance Award Winner - American Doctor - Director Poh Si Teng

  7. Aug 20

    How To Divorce During the War - Director Andrius Blaževičius

    Vilnius, 2022. High-flying executive Marija (Zygimante Elena Jakstaite) chooses the worst possible moment to inform her husband Vytas (Vee-tus) (Marius Repsys) she wants a divorce: just one day before Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Suddenly the couple must navigate the process of separation as it collides with a refugee and mid-life crisis. A struggling film director, Vytas is put into a tight spot by having to move in with his Russophile parents, while Marija struggles to find her footing as the war affects both her business and home life. Packed with surprises along with much heartache and soul searching, Andrius Blaževičius’ nuanced and timely family drama skillfully depicts the fallout of a marriage against the backdrop of extraordinary events with humor and compassion. already a 2026 Sundance Award-Winner, How To Divorce During the War, was selected as 2026 Lithuania's Oscar entry for this year's Best International Feature Film. About the filmmaker - Director Andrius Blaževičius was born in Vilnius, June 26, 1985, studied Culture History and Anthropology at Vilnius University. After a while, Andrius switched to Film Directing studies at KIMO, Lithuanian National Film School, where he graduated with an MA in 2011. Blaževičius’ debut feature film THE SAINT (2016) premiered at Warsaw IFF and Busan IFF, won six national awards and became one of the most appreciated Lithuanian independent films at the national box office with 47K admissions in total. His sophomore film RUNNER (2021) premiered at Karlovy Vary IFF with the main actress Žygimantė Elena Jakštaitė being awarded as a Shooting Star by European Film Promotion. RUNNER received two Lithuanian Film Academy awards - for the main and the supporting actresses. His third feature fom HOW TO DIVORCE DURING THE WAR (2026) premiered at Sundance Film Festival's, World Dramatic Competition.

    How To Divorce During the War - Director Andrius Blaževičius

  8. Aug 14

    Never Stop Chasing - Director Ken Cole & Subject Reed Timmer

    In the immersive documentary Never Stop Chasing, legendary storm chaser Reed Timmer pursues a life hunting the world’s most violent weather. Haunted by the tragic death of his mentor, Tim Samaras, in the historic 2013 El Reno tornado, and the sudden loss of his best friend and long-time chase partner, Joel Taylor, Reed’s life on the edge takes a severe emotional toll. Driven by an unshakeable compulsion, he pushes his mind and body to the absolute limit in pursuit of the perfect storm. Operating the custom-built, armored "Dominator 3," Reed and his eclectic crew—Connor, Mike, Edgar, and "Local Man"—plunge directly into the impact zones of apocalyptic supercells. Despite holding a Ph.D. in meteorology, Reed’s highly aggressive intercept tactics constantly put him at odds with a traditional scientific establishment that frequently dismisses his controversial approach. The film captures the duality of their extreme lifestyle: the euphoric highs of intercepting a tornado alongside an embedded New York Times reporter, and the terrifying lows of being overtaken by a massive wedge tornado inside their vehicle. About the filmmaker -Reed Timmer is one of the world's most recognized and accomplished storm chasers, known for pioneering extreme intercepts with his armored vehicle, the Dominator 3. A meteorologist with over 8.6 million social media followers, Timmer, who has a Ph.D. in meteorology, rose to global fame on Discovery Channel's “Storm Chasers “and has since set records in close-range tornado intercepts. His work and persona directly inspired the Tyler Owens character in the 2024 blockbuster Twisters. About the filmmaker - Ken Cole is a documentary filmmaker who holds a degree in meteorology and has spent more than two decades chasing severe weather alongside Reed Timmer. His prior films include the PBS documentary Tornado Glory (2003) and the hit independent documentary series 'Tornado Chasers' (which streamed across Hulu, Prime Video, and Tubi), drawing on two decades of footage, friendship, and firsthand experience inside the world's most dangerous storms.

    Never Stop Chasing - Director Ken Cole & Subject Reed Timmer
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About

Cinemafile showcases the very best in independent, documentary and foreign films through our conversations with the more than 2,000 filmmakers who made them. Through Cinemafile we will do our best to bring the most interesting and accomplished filmmakers from around the world to your attention.

Information

  • Creator
    Mike Kaspar
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    248
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2026 Mike Kaspar
  • Show Website
    Cinemafile

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